The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-12-30
4 NEW YEARS STORY.
& csARLrE' D

So felt Charles Merrill-Uncle Char.
he-as he threaded his way through
The city on New Years Day, many
years ago, to pay his invariabIe visit
at his brothers house. Uncle Charlie
loves the country as dearly as l do.
He was, at the time of which / write,
. country gentleman, w~ell-to-do, with
all the refinement OF education, and
the true polish of Christian courtesy.
You would know him anywhere for a
man who could be trusted. In a crowd
he was the man whom you would sim
gle out, if you wished to ask q ques.
ton. And still he was just
the person whom an imposter
would avoid. Nobody tried him with
tales Of feigned distress. Nobody Of
Tered him gilt watches as gold, with
which the owner was compelled to
part. No confidence man" APP
preached him, for there was some
thi2S::2 his clear gray eye which told
you that he could see through the
arch-device, conceal it so wisely.
The honest applicant in real need
never failed to address him, and was
seldom disappointed; for Uncle
Charlie had that species of Freema-
sonry which honesty establishes
among honest people.
So it was no wonder that q little
girl, scantiIy clad, but very neat,
timidly approached him and touched
his arm. She had been repulsed many
times on that New Years morning;
sometimes by those who rude
Iy scolded or CURLY answer
ed her, somtimes by others who
rendered her small money to escape
her importantly. She held a handful
of small coin as if she really did not
know what to do with it, bow she
came by it, or why people gave it to
her. Uncle Charlie looked intently at
her face and then at her blue arms
and fingers, which trembled with the
cold, as in one hand she held her
money, and with the other drew her
thin shawl about her.
aWhy, child" he said, with a smile
the least shade satrical, ''you should
hide that money in yourpocket before
you aske for more. There is more in
penr hand already than two or three
pennies TO buy a loaf ofbread.' Poor
child" he added, in q kinder lone, ''per-
haps you have little use for a pocket,
you indulge in no unnecessary lux
uries.
81 did not ask you for money
said the girl. "And I did not ask
those who gave me this. My mother
did not send me out to beg, and we
have q loaf of bread for to-day, and
one for tomorrow"
eWell, then, what is it?"
81 wieh somebody in all this great
city to 60 and see my mother, for she
told me to-day that she had not q
friend in the world"
tAnd you could not find a friend in
all thisgreat city and so have taken me
who come here a stranger. Why, little
one, you don't think to take me in-
me, q right sharp man, rom a Jer-
seys."
"Oh, sir, don't tease me, please.
Don't Joke with me, for I am quite
ready to cry. / know you are q kind
hearted man, Whatever you may pre-
tend"
Uncle Charles first thought was to
shake her off. he read the news
papers, and knew all about the tricks
which are played in the cities upon
innocent travellers. The little girl
still stood shivering by his side. She
waited his decision without saying
another word; but her eager eyes FUR
tively scanned the passing crowd, as
IL looking for some one else whom she
might accost. Uncle Charlie put his
hand in his pocket
"Now don't do that, for I will not
taKey0ur money
ssWell, you are q strange'-beegar,
he was going to say, but he thought
better of it. "Go on. and / win fol-
low
And So they went, Uncle Charlie all
the while thinking that he would not
figure Id the "local columns Of the
newspapers, even if he lost his watch
and pocketbook. He would suffer and
be silent. and no Alderman's Office
should hear. the story OF his wrongs
But his decent opinion Of him
Sell assured him that nobody could
impose upon himl No, indeedl The
child, as she hurried along. looked
less and less like a little rogue.
Uncle Charlie began to think that site
was pretty, and as be scanned her ap-
pearance hsnokiced that her garments
Enough Bcauty, wers the welI-saved
witnesses Of better days. She turned
down 4 court. and Uncle Charlie, FOL.
lowing. soon found himself ushered III
TO d room where h6 Basiittleexpectedl
The single inmate was as much sur
prised as he.